Resolution update
We’re well over half way through the year now which is crazy, and I thought I’d write an update on the resolutions I shared back in January. I know it’s cliché to say (and even more of a cliché to say it’s cliché!) but seriously, I don’t know where this year is going! 2017 is flying by but it’s been good to me so far.
I always think it’s a good idea to take stock and look at what’s happened, where things are going and amend anything that’s changed priority. It’s not a bad thing if some resolutions haven’t been achieved yet - sometimes it’s a case of reminding yourself of your goals or remembering why you set them in the first place.
When you write resolution posts you have great intentions to keep up with it all, but I’ll be honest here and say they’ve not really been in the forefront of my mind. I’ve certainly not been thinking ‘I need to focus on this, this month’, or even consciously looked back at my goals at any point until now. Though I think it’s a good idea (especially as someone who is so forgetful) to write them down in your diary or planner each month, I think deciding goals at the start of the year has subconsciously been with me anyway.
I use a one word concept for my resolutions, and this year I chose 'Focus'. Focus is quite broad, but it works in so many different aspects. It’s one of the reasons why I like the concept of having one word for a year, because it applies to so many things but doesn’t feel like I’ve got a never-ending goal list to tick off.
FOCUS on me
I wanted to focus on ‘me’, Though in recent months I’ve fallen back into the habit of taking on too many things and feeling a little burnt out trying to please everyone and do everything, I am feeling so much better than I was in 2016. This time last year I was extremely stressed, anxious and depressed. I’ve changed jobs, which was a huge factor, did CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) and worked my way out of it. Writing it out like that makes it seem trivial and quick but, of course, it wasn’t. Though the first few months were rough, I’m feeling so much better and a lot more positive. It certainly feels like I’ve made a momentous turning point, anyway.
I’ve focused on a goal that I’ve had for years and years, and that was to open my online shop. You can read more about that in this post, but I love creating and I am really enjoying the feedback I get from everyone who orders. The idea that my art will be displayed in someone else’s home just makes me so happy and gives me even more motivation to continue doing this and growing my product range. More on this in the goal below.
FOCUS on my body
Focusing on my body and exercising has had its peaks and troughs! There were a good few weeks where I cycled every day – doing hill reps and seeing progress. Annoyingly, I didn’t keep this up and to be honest, I don’t have the motivation to start again either. One element of fitness that I have kept up are my weekly Pilates classes. Though it’s not cardio and isn’t helping me to lose weight, it’s excellent for correcting my posture and stretching my muscles. I adore Pilates and recommend it to anyone – it’s actually a surprising workout considering how slow and small the movements are but, done correctly, can make a big difference. One thing I’d like to improve on is doing it more at home – ideally every evening, as the progress and improvement would be a lot greater if I did it more than once a week!
FOCUS on my illustration
I wanted to focus on my illustration and I’m really happy that this one is probably the best of the lot! Like I said above, I opened my online shop in June and it really pushed me to create more. I’m still illustrating and sharing bits and pieces on Instagram as well, which is another area I’ve spoken about on the blog, in this post here. Each month, I’m challenging myself to launch new products in my store, whether that’s a whole new product or a new card design. On top of everything else (I’m also taking on more commissions as well being creative in my day job as a graphic designer) I’m quite pleased with how things are going. Of course I’m always needing more time, and I do wish I could stay at home and create full time, but for now, I think I’m doing well. Becoming freelance will be a goal for next year!!
FOCUS on my online presence
This is an extra goal I’d like to add in for the rest of 2017. After attending Blogtacular in June (a prize for designing their notebooks – you can see the other fantastic entries here), it’s made me realise how much more I want to do. I wrote a lot of notes and came away with a lot of ideas, but due to the lack of time I mentioned before, I’ve been plodding along doing the bare minimum. I’d really like to push myself more and utilise as much time as I can to create useful content for my audience. A lot of the time I can feel overwhelmed by all the things I expect myself to do, but I really do think that this push will pay off in the long run. I just need to use my spare time better and make time for these things (instead of wasting the hour before bed where I just scroll through social media!)
How are your resolutions going? Let me know in the comments and hopefully this will give us a boost to achieve everything we hoped for back in January!